Importing a Foreign Horse

If you are importing a horse to the US from a foreign country (other than Canada), you must:

• Complete an Application for Foreign Horse Registration.
• Have a Clearance (Export) Certificate sent to the USTA from the registry your horse is being imported from.

The fee to import a horse and register with the USTA is $325. If the horse will be racing in the US, there is an additional $100 fee to cover the cost of issuing lifetime electronic eligibility.

If your horse has been racing in a foreign country and/or will be racing in the US, please ensure your paperwork is received at the USTA at least two weeks prior to when you want to enter your horse. This allows sufficient time for:

• A USTA ID Technician to microchip (or freeze brand) your horse and submit hair for parentage verification. Prior to the registration being completed and electronic eligibilities from being issued (for your horse racing), the DNA test results must be received at the USTA from the lab. Additional charges to expedite shipping of the DNA sample are the responsibility of the requestor.
• The USTA to research and compile your horse's prior racing information so it appears in the race program.

Exporting a Horse

If a horse is being shipped overseas, the "Application for Export Certificate" is typically submitted to the USTA by the company handling the shipping of the horse. For a list of international shippers, contact the USTA's Member Services department.

• If the horse being exported has a hard copy registration certificate, it must be returned to the USTA along with the "Application for Export Certificate".
• The horse's ownership must be in the name of the person who is importing the horse in the foreign country. If an ownership transfer must be submitted on the Registration Certificate, or an Application for Transfer (if the horses papers are held electronically), the new buyer information and the appropriate transfer fee must be included.
• If you're exporting a mare that is in foal, the mating certificate for that breeding must be released or received at The USTA prior to the export certificate being completed.
• In addition to being parentage verified, the horse being exported must be microchipped (or freeze branded) prior to leaving the country.

The fee to export a horse is $350. The USTA will issue an Export Certificate directly to the registry in the foreign country.